Shock absorbing handle



July 26, 1932, c. B. coATEs SHOCK ABSORBING HANDLE Filed Feb. 13, 1928 INVENTOR. (bar/e: B Coafq:

A TTORNE Y.

Patented July 26, 1932 Mrs STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES B. COA'IES, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO CHICAGO PNEUMATIC TOOL COMPANY, OF N'EVJ' YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY SHOCK ABSORBING HANDLE Application filed February 13, 1928. Serial No. 253,804.

This invention relates to power tools of the portable Or hand-operated type, and particuarly to the handles by which such tools are supported. More specifically it concerns handle attachments for power tools used for stud setting, nut running, screw driving and similar operations.

A principal object of the invention is to relieve the operator of such a tool of at least a part of the sever shock or recoil which he experiences when the securing member is driven home and the torque of the tool is transmitted back to the operator. Other objects will be apparent from the detailed description, which follows:

In order to illustrate the invention, concrete embodiments thereof are shown in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a plan View of a power tool equipped with the improved handle;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view on a reduced scale of a modification; and

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view on a reduced scale of the tool shown in Fig. 1.

In the chosen embodiments of the'invention a portable power tool, having a motor (not shown) operated from any suitable source of power such as fluid pressure or electricity, is diagrammatically indicated at A. Its rotatable spindle a is indicated as ofiiset from the central axis of the tool. The manual .supporting means shown in Fig. 1 comprise an elongate substantially flat strip 3 01" resilient material such as spring metal. The central portion 3a of the strip is bent into a substantially U-shaped form and is secured in flat engagement with the casing of tool A by suitable means such as'cap screws 4:. The ends of spring member 3 are diver-gently return bent beyond the U-shaped central portion to dispose the free ends thereof in substantial alignment upon opposite sides of tool A, the ends having grips secured thereto which may take the form of plates 5 generally semicircular in cross section (Fig. 2) and secured upon opposite sides of strip 3 by suitable means such as rivets 6. The resiliency of handle strip 3 at the central U-shaped portion 3a may be reduced if desired in any suitable manner; the strip may be thicker at this point, or may be ribbed, or may have a stiffening member 7 of suitable shape clamped thereagainst. The divergently and outwardly bent portions of handle strip 3, adjacent grips 5, are of sufiicient resiliency to absorb wholly or in part the reaction of the drill which results when the spindle a is suddenly stopped or retarded thereby relieving the operator of shock. With the spindle turning in the direction indicated by the small arrow, the reaction of tool A will be in the opposite direction as indicated by the large arrow. To enable the operator better to direct and control the tool the U-shaped portion handle member 3 is by preference secured to the tool on the side closest to the axis of the ofiset spindle as indicated in Fig. 1.

In the modification shown in Fig. 3 the tions '5 a greater degree of resiliency rel ative to tool A than is possible with the form shown in Fig. 1. The central portion of thestrip 3. I may be suitably stiiiened ifv desired as indicated at 7 It is obvious that two handles secured to the same spring strip need not be used unless desired. At times the operator of a tool supports and directs the same with one hand on a spade handle at the top of the tool and the other upon a side handle. In such a case only one side of the shock absorbing handle would be used and-the other side could be omitted entirely.

While the invention has been herein closed in what are now considered to be preferred forms, it is to be understood that minor changes and variations may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as setforth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination with a portable device viceat its central portion and having bends disposing at its free ends in alignment on opposite sides of said device, said free ends providing handles for supporting said device.

2. The combination with a portable devic h ving a rotatable spindle, of a fiat spring member stiffened at its central portion and having free ends, said central portion being fastened to said device, said member having bends to dispose said free ends on opposite sides of said device, said free ends providing grip portions yieldably relative to said device in a plane transverse to the axis of said spindle.

3. The combination with a portable power tool having a rotatable spindle, of a flat spring member formed with a substantially U-shaped central portion secured to said tool and. disposing its ends in alignment on opposite sides of said tool, said ends forming handles for manually supporting said tool and yieldably to absorb the reaction of the tool when the spindle is suddenly stopped.

i. The combination with a portable power tool having a rotatable spindle, of an elongate member of flat spring material having a generally U-shaped central portion secured in flat face engagement with said tool, said portion being stiffened relative to the rest of said member, grip members on the free ends of said member and disposed in axial alignment on opposite sides of said tool, the parts of said member between said central portion and said grip members being sufliciently resilient to absorb at least a part of the reaction of the tool when the spindle is suddenly stopped or retarded by the Work.

A handle unit for portable power tools comprising an elongate piece of flat spring metal having a bent and stiffened central portion to be secured to the tool and having outwardly bent aligned ends provided with grips, the bent portions of said piece adja cent said grips permitting yielding movement of the latter relative to said central portion.

6. A handle for portable power tools comprising an elongate piece of flat spring metal having a central portion to be secured to the tool and free ends adapted to be grasped, said piece having bends intermediate said free ends and said central portion to add resiliency to said piece and to dispose said free ends in substantial alignment.

7. A handle unit for portable power tools comprising an elongate piece of flat spring metal having a central portion to be secured to the tool and free ends adapted to be grasped, said piece having reverse return bends intermediate said free ends and said central portion to add resiliency to said piece and to dispose said free ends in substantial alignment but oli'set relative to said central portion.

8. A handle unit for portable power tools comprising an elongate piece of fiat spring 

